Business Executive earmarked new Speaker of the House
By Stanford Conway
Editor-in-Chief-SKNVibes.com
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Curtis Martin
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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – VICE PRESIDENT of Human Resource at Cable and Wireless, St. Kitts and Nevis, Limited, Curtis Martin may soon be elected Speaker of the Federation’s National Assembly.
According to a release from the Communications Unit of the Office of the Prime Minister [CUOPM], Martin is expected to be elected Speaker of the lawmaking body during a regular session, which would be convened tomorrow [Friday, April 18] following a Special Session called to pay tribute to his predecessor, Hon. Marcella Liburd.
The release said that according to the Order Paper circulated by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Jose Lloyd, the Deputy Speaker and Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) Parliamentarian, Hon. Patrice Nisbett, would preside over the start of the Sitting.
“Leader of Government Business in the National Assembly, Deputy Prime Minister and Labour Party Parliamentarian, Hon. Sam Condor is expected to nominate Mr. Martin as Speaker,” the release said.
Following the election of the new Speaker, the Oath of Allegiance will be administered.
The release added that the governing St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party holds seven of the 11 seats in the National Assembly and is expected to get the support of the elected members on the Opposition representing the Concerned Citizens Movement, the NRP and the People’s Action Movement. ~~Adz:Right~~
On the adjournment of Monday, March 3 Sitting of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas announced that the Hon. Marcella Liburd would be demitting the office.
In an earlier release from CUOPM, Dr. Douglas informed lawmakers that “The Office of the Prime Minister has received advanced notice that the Speaker of the National Assembly of St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis, the Honourable Marcella A. Liburd intends to demit office in the near future before the end of the life of this current Parliament.”
“Though obliged to accept this notice, I have received this with mixed feelings…mixed feelings because of the tremendous leadership that this Assembly has received as a result of the exemplary services provided by you Madam Speaker of this Honourable House and Servant of the people.…mixed feelings because in demitting office it provides you Honourable Madam Speaker the opportunity to serve your people and your country in a different but equally important capacity hopefully in a high office in the future,” Dr. Douglas said.
The Prime Minister had advised members that he would call a Special Sitting in the very near future to express their gratitude and support to Liburd for her services to the National Assembly and also to elect a new Speaker with the support of the Leader of the Opposition and members of the House of Assembly.
In an article posted by this media house on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, it was stated that unconfirmed reports indicated Liburd would be contesting in the upcoming general election as the Labour Party’s Candidate for Constituency Number Two, replacing the Minister of National Security, Dwyer Astaphan, who recently made his future intention public.
The article also informed that unconfirmed reports indicated the new Speaker of the National Assembly may be a young and very popular business executive.
